Softball Splits With Cavaliers, Remains Tied For Eighth In Great Midwest

Thanks to a 4-2 win and a 7-6 loss against Walsh on Friday (April 21) at Deb Miller Field at the Archer Ballpark Complex, Ashland University's softball team remains tied for the eighth and final spot in the 2023 Great Midwest Athletic Conference Tournament.
 
The Eagles are 17-25 overall and 9-9 in the Great Midwest, and the Cavaliers, in seventh place in the league, are 16-18, 10-8.
 
Friday's opener saw Walsh post a pair of runs in the top of the first inning, but sophomore shortstop Maddy Burdette cut the deficit in half with a solo home run to left field in the bottom of the third. Later in the third, senior third baseman Hailey Struckman launched a two-run homer to left center for a 3-2 AU advantage, then sophomore first baseman Lily Rockwell's run-scoring double made it a 4-2 score.
 
Game 2 started the same way Game 1 did, with the Cavaliers scoring first – a run in the top of the first. Ashland, however, responded with a run in the bottom of the first on an RBI fielder's choice from sophomore pitcher Cassidy Shaffer.
 
Walsh took the lead back in the second with five runs, then scored another in the third for a 7-1 advantage. Ashland began the comeback thanks to a two-run, two-out single from senior center fielder Lauren McMillin in the fourth.
 
A two-run single by sophomore left fielder Chloe McClure cut the AU deficit to 7-5 in the fifth, and freshman second baseman Danielle Robbins' sacrifice fly got the Eagles closer at 7-6 in the seventh, but the tying run was stranded at second base.
 

NOTABLES

• Senior pitcher Kayla Ruperto (5-6) went the first five innings in Game 1, allowing eight hits, two runs and no walks and striking out one. Freshman pitcher Delaney Lis earned her first collegiate save with two innings of one-hit relief.
• In Game 2, McMillin was 2-for-5 with two RBIs, while McClure was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. McClure's season average is up to .419 thanks to a current six-game hitting streak.
• Shaffer (4-6) yielded eight hits, six runs and no walks and struck out one in 1 2/3 innings.

 
QUOTABLES

• "That's what we said in our post-game huddle, is we very easily could have just laid down when we were down by six," said Ashland head coach Emlyn Knerem of Game 2. "We chipped away a little at a time."
• "Maddy started us off with that big hit, and she has been seeing the ball pretty well," Knerem said of Game 1. "It was nice to see here succeed there. And then Hailey came up with a 3-0 count, and I almost gave her the take sign. I'm glad I didn't."

 
UP NEXT
Ashland will return to its home field for another conference twinbill on Saturday (April 22) at 1 p.m. against Findlay (26-11, 11-5).